List Digest, Vol 3, Issue 11"borderline"

Linda Ciotola vegmom at closecall.com
Sat Sep 9 10:25:37 CDT 2006


Thanks to Kate and Adam and Patti for this meaningful topic. I have also
noticed that these meds can be helpful if followed by a sensitive doc. I
agree that the transpersonal strength is essential to healing. I agree with
Jung's perspective that "all crises over age 30 ate spiritual crises" . I
also know that helping to soothe the system is essential - in a way that
goes beyond the meds. Like the Body Double (tm) from TSM , for example. My
practice of yoga has helped me enormously both personally and professionally
. It keeps me "in the moment" as I direct and I see how useful it is to
clients in general, and particularly to those with difficulty self
-soothing. It is not only the practice of the asanas and the breathing,
which are useful in and of themselves, but the deep  spiritual practice of
yoga which develops the "inner witness" (akin to the observing ego in TSM) -
this is a role that enables us to observe ourselves (thoughts, feeling, and
impulses, etc) without judgment and with compassion.I find more and more I
am combining my yogateacher role and my psychodramatist role to help others
develop their "inner witness" and connect to the transpersonal - including
the transpersonal within the self. Namaste, Linda 

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: borderline (Dr Kate Hudgins)
   2. Re: "Borderline" patients (Adam Blatner)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 18:41:01 -0400
From: Dr Kate Hudgins <drkatetsi at mac.com>
Subject: Re: borderline
To: Adam Blatner <adam at blatner.com>, Grouptalk
	<list at grouptalkweb.org>,	tsiyahoo
	<therapeutic-spiral at yahoogroups.com>,
dramatherapylst at listserv.ksu.edu
Message-ID: <45D30E4E-B100-4CCD-91C4-600236C0C681 at mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Ah Adam... you say it all here. You are absolutely right that SSRIs  
have been instrumental in decreasing the overarousal associated with  
the always turned on amygdala of the severely traumatized people who  
of often are called borderline in a very derogatory way.  and that  
the healing of the therapeutic relationship is crucial.

about the issues of religion and spirituality.  Building a  
transpersonal strength is core to scene one or stage 1 in TSM  
therapy.  How we frame that is that this is "something beyond  
human".  That humans caused the damage in most cases and so you need  
to go beyond the human experience.  but definition of the DSM  
diagnostic criteria, PTSD also is about an abnormal, beyond human  
experience.  I teach this.  And then I suggest many catagories of how  
one can go beyond the human dependency which trauma survivors dx with  
BPD often, right fully do not trust.  Music, nature, poetry, art.   
Even dogs or other animals.  spiritual practice vs religion.

It is interesting to me as I continue to spend most of my time  
working in Asia to learn more about spirituality and religion.  The  
World Congress on Psychotherapy I just returned from in Malaysia had  
a very multicultural, mutiracial, multi religious flavor..with  
everyone tolerating and interested in each other.  There were many  
Muslim women, easily identifed by their head scarves and in the  
airport by their burkas.  there were Chinese who had long histories  
of animism, confucinism, taoism and then no religious beliefs.  Some  
Christians from the years of being a British colony.  Many Catholics  
from the Philippines.  Yest everyone was respectful of each other.

All TSM groups or sessions start off by people building a Circle of  
Safety that consists of personal, interpsonral and transpersonal  
strengths.  Always someone asks what we mean by transpersonaly and I  
provide this broad view.  That trauma is most often caused by humans  
and there is the need to go beyond the human for full healing and not  
just symptom management.  People soon embrace the idea and offer many  
ways to do  that.

Recently, I have asked people in Asia to form small groups and enact  
cultural stories, myths and leadership roles that show the values of  
their community that go beyond human and have found the learning I  
get fascinating.  I learn about history.  about family systems, about  
religious and political leaders.  but always we get something beyond  
human.

Thanks Adam for all you contribute. Kate

On Sep 6, 2006, at 2:52 PM, Adam Blatner wrote:

> Dear Patti, thanks for your comments.
>        My hunch is that Borderline is at times a useful term and  
> category, and at times
> may be misleading. First, I think that it is a category that is  
> manifested by a complex of
> behaviors, but I'm relatively certain that the syndrome may be  
> "caused" by a range of
> elements:
>        trauma, acute or chronic
>        significant ambivalence in bonding, whether it be from  
> neglect or over-enmeshment,
> or mixed, in different roles
>        genetic and temperamental hypersensitivity in various ways
>        intensified shame-guilt experiences requiring varieties of  
> narcissistic dynamics as
> part of syndrome
>        various reinforcing experiences  (possibly not traumatic,  
> but in other ways).
>               addiction processes tend to reinforce and also  
> express borderline dynamics
>           ... and so forth.
>
>     For some of these clients, a trial of the new SRI anti- 
> depressants can be
> life-changing... and the medicines have no "standard" dose. Some  
> folks need less, some
> more, depending on who knows... the right thing is to "titrate" the  
> medicine gradually
> upward (over a period of months!) until optimal results with little  
> or no side effects.
>     Start at low doses, half or a quarter of the standard dose.  
> Some folks are pretty
> sensitive. Increase not more often than every week--better, every  
> two weeks. Little steps.
> 5, 10, 15, like that.  Some people don't feel right or have  
> negative side effects at
> modest doses of one type? Taper them off and start them on a  
> different type. It might work
> better. Probably should try at least three different kinds before  
> giving up, or maybe even
> four, because one just might work fine with no significant side  
> effects even if the others
> are more problematical.   So there's an art to this, and an  
> associated task for many
> therapists is to find a psychiatrist who seems to recognize this art.
>         Associated with this is a careful maintenance of the  
> relationship with the client
> so that the client is empowered to report back, give feedback,  
> refuse to be intimidated.
> The therapist can be a coach and mediator. Finding a doc who will  
> respond to calls within
> a few days is good, too, and willing to see more often, or consult  
> on the phone a
> little--not for long, drawn-out calls, perhaps, but to adjust the  
> meds. Okay, you can
> taper off and we'll try something else; or, Okay, let's go up a  
> notch and I'll await how
> it feels.
>          These medications should be thought of as somewhat  
> elective. It's not as if we
> have to give this antibiotic or the patient will die. Our clients  
> have been living with
> these symptoms for years.
>
>      Another theme Patti touched on is also addressed in Linehan's  
> DBT, and must be dealt
> with gingerly: spirituality and religion. While I don't think these  
> domains are in
> themselves curative, they can provide a powerful map of the larger  
> process, and also a
> symbol set for grounding. But many patients have really been turned  
> off by religion, or
> found themselves in a tight conundrum because of old or rigid dogma  
> that many modern
> pastoral counselors would themselves criticize. So negotiating the  
> broader philosophy of
> life (with or without spiritual or religious elements) need not  
> become an excessively
> intellectualized endeavor, and can be a useful adjunct to the  
> overall enterprise.
>
>       The other problem with diagnostic categories is that I think  
> they are often
> misleading in that they miss other elements. As I describe on my  
> webpage about the real
> diagnostic categories, the therapy process proceeds very  
> differently depending on degrees
> and types of treatment alliance, psychological mindedness, ego  
> strength, and socioeconomic
> resources. Someone "high" in these will offer an entirely different  
> clinical course than
> someone "low" in these factors, and indeed the therapy often must  
> spend a good deal of
> attention developing these role elements. Sometimes addressing the  
> "borderline" pathology
> can hardly proceed until first one develops a grounding of  
> strengths-- and we're not
> talking about warming-up in one session, we're talking about months  
> or years of work.
>         One of my maxims is, "Don't put a client in touch with his  
> negative voices until
> you've first put him in touch with his positive voices."  Or some  
> variation of this.
>         Another maxim is "a good diagnosis," and by that I don't  
> mean finding the "right"
> label so much as investigating and understanding not only the four  
> diagnostic variables
> mentioned, but the actual story, the existential challenges, faced  
> by a client. For
> example, not a few of our clients are trapped in a marriage or  
> family or job or social
> system that has a significant degree of toxicity. That the client  
> may feed into the
> relationship dysfunctions doesn't diminish the actual reinforcing  
> stresses.   Well,
> enough.  For the most part I agree with Patti's reflections on the  
> professional dimensions
> of her work. Warmly, Adam
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "PATRICIA DESERT" <honeybwomn at msn.com>
> To: <list at grouptalkweb.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 9:28 AM
> Subject: Re: client or trainee
>
>
>> Dear Ann--this sounds like Marsha Linehan's DBT therapy where each  
>> client
>> works with both a primary therapist in individual therapy and w/a  
>> "trainer"
>> in a skills training group.  No therapy or processing of any kind  
>> around
>> issues is done in the group--clients are role trained to take this  
>> kind of
>> material back to their therapist.  With a few exceptions the group  
>> trainer
>> focuses only on behavioral skills related to stress tolerance,  
>> emotional
>> regulation, interpersonal relating, etc. and cts thoroughly learn  
>> about
>> their diagnosis.  And of course clients have to be motivated to do  
>> this
>> work.  DBT is a wonderful model with lots of room for action  
>> methods.  I'm
>> looking into seeing if any groups like this exisit in Baltimore.   
>> And thanks
>> for the journal info.  I'll look it up.  Best regards, Patti
>>
>>> From: "Ann Hale" <annehale at swva.net>
>>> Reply-To: list at grouptalkweb.org
>>> To: <list at grouptalkweb.org>
>>> Subject: Re: client or trainee
>>> Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2006 20:15:44 -0400
>>>
>>> Patti, Stephen Sidorsky presented on, and wrote for the Journal an
>>> excellent article on the Psychodramatic Treatment of Borderline
>>> Personality, vol 37, no 3 (Fall, 1984) pp. 117-125.  There has  
>>> also been
>>> some succcess in treating a group of about six-8 who are entirely
>>> borderline. They spend time in group getting to know their diagnosis
>>> backwards and forwards, and prt of the sessions is identifying  
>>> aspects of
>>> it when it is occuring. The therapists (four) work in tandam of  
>>> twos, and
>>> the facilitators trade off, in sequence.  And, each person sees  
>>> their own
>>> therapist. It is an interesting approach. The purpose of the  
>>> group is to
>>> dilute dependency on the primary therapist.
>>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>>   From: PATRICIA DESERT
>>>   To: list at grouptalkweb.org
>>>   Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 2:24 PM
>>>   Subject: Re: client or trainee
>>>
>>>
>>>   Hello Everyone--Adam hit on an area that deeply resonates for  
>>> me at this
>>> time--that is, characterological disorders.  I am in the midst of  
>>> working
>>> with two clients exhibiting classical symptoms of Borderline  
>>> Personality
>>> Disorder.  It continually manifests in rage at me for not fixing  
>>> them, for
>>> caring more for my other clients, for holding to time boundaries of
>>> sessions when they are late, for not giving them 2 hr sessions  
>>> whenever
>>> they want them, for long phone message between sessions  
>>> criticizing all
>>> that I haven't done, for not remembering exactly what was said  
>>> last summer,
>>> last month, last week, etc., etc.  These criticisms are relentless.
>>>
>>>   I have had 18 years of enormously rewarding work with clients,  
>>> mostly
>>> Axis I disorders and some with mild to moderate Axis II.  Until  
>>> this year,
>>> after working with these two for over a year, I have never felt  
>>> this sense
>>> of frustration, anger, or at times inadequacy.  And for the first  
>>> time in
>>> my 18 years as a therapist I acted out my anger at one client and  
>>> told her
>>> with no compassion or empathy that her behavior was both rude and
>>> disrespectful to me and to the other client whose session she  
>>> attempted to
>>> interrupt.
>>>
>>>   Obviously my stuff got triggered big time and I recognize that  
>>> I need
>>> supervision around this and am getting it.  However, I'm curious  
>>> to hear
>>> from anyone else who has had their own similar responses to these  
>>> kinds of
>>> clients and some action methods that were helpful, besides the TSM
>>> Containing Double and mindful breathing, both which are definitely
>>> powerfully helpful at times.   Private practice is sometimes a  
>>> lonely
>>> place, with little peer connection, and hearing from you all  
>>> about your
>>> experiences is helpful.  Thanks.  Patti
>>>
>>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>>     From: Adam Blatner
>>>     To: list at grouptalkweb.org
>>>     Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 2:11 PM
>>>     Subject: client or trainee
>>>
>>>
>>>     Hello All, Responding to an excellent professional question:  
>>> Can a
>>> group member join a training group: And responding further to Bud's
>>> response (attached after this below):
>>>
>>>     Bud's attitude is understandable and somewhat compatible with  
>>> many
>>> directors and perhaps even Moreno's generous spirit, but it is  
>>> also I think
>>> mistaken for the following reasons. Part of this emerged with the
>>> difficulties emerging with the encounter group fad of the 1970s:
>>>           There are many people who are clearly mentally ill and  
>>> just want
>>> to get better, have no aspirations to being a therapists.
>>>          Some people, on the other hand, are vibrantly healthy and
>>> self-sufficient, and while they have some mild issues that need  
>>> to be
>>> worked on, they basically have the character to train and be  
>>> therapeutic
>>> for others, should they be interested in taking on that task.
>>>            A significant number fall between the two, and their  
>>> problems
>>> are associated more with their interpersonal style. In the APA's  
>>> Diagnostic
>>> and Statistical Manual, the problems they encounter are noted in the
>>> category called personality disorders, also known as "Axis 2"  
>>> disorders.
>>>             Many people who have depression, anxiety, and other  
>>> Axis I
>>> diagnoses are also co-morbid, meaning they have more than one  
>>> problem--not
>>> just their anxiety, but also character or personality tendencies  
>>> that set
>>> them up for the defeats that then eventuate in depression and/or  
>>> anxiety,
>>> or other symptoms.  (Another example of co-morbidity is the way  
>>> people with
>>> mild PTSD--perhaps not fulfilling all the criteria for full  
>>> diagnoses--
>>> and/or addiction problems may also come crashing into more  
>>> clearly Axis I
>>> types of symptom clusters.)
>>>             The second and most important thing that wasn't much
>>> recognized before the mid-1960s is the pervasiveness of varying  
>>> degrees of
>>> Axis II tendencies, which can be mild, moderate, or severe, and  
>>> more, the
>>> key here is that these folks don't have primary anxiety--i.e.,  
>>> feeling
>>> ego-alien or uncomfortable with their own symptoms; rather they are
>>> ego-syntonic with their life style, whether it be passive- 
>>> aggressive,
>>> obsessive-compulsive, hypomanic, hystrionic, borderline,  
>>> narcissistic, etc.
>>> What this means is that they become upset when people get tired  
>>> of their
>>> behaviors, abandon them, divorce them, fire them from their jobs,  
>>> but they
>>> don't see what they did that got people so riled up!  Folks with  
>>> character
>>> problems tend to deny it, minimize it, and so forth. Now we're  
>>> getting
>>> closer to the games people play in wanting to become "therapists."
>>>           It doesn't matter if you buy the diagnostic categories  
>>> I've
>>> mentioned--they're just tools, and I'm not all that attached to  
>>> them in
>>> their specifics. What we're talking about is, in Eric Berne's  
>>> Transactional
>>> Analysis language, the "games people play."
>>>            I will confess that I have some mild characterological
>>> tendencies, and I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't have a bit,  
>>> so we're
>>> talking about how much, and whether a person is really committed to
>>> cleaning up his or her act. Lots of folks don't really get down.
>>>
>>>          Perhaps another factor here is whether much significant  
>>> therapy
>>> can happen in a group--especially a training group. The problem  
>>> is that
>>> there is a dual relationship: On one hand, there is the deal with my
>>> problems goal; on the other hand, there's a bit of do you respect  
>>> me as a
>>> therapist, can you? I confess, there are people with patterns of  
>>> behavior
>>> that are intense enough, and lack of insight deep enough, and a  
>>> kind of
>>> resistance to really looking just thick enough, or lack of mental  
>>> agility,
>>> so that while I might find them okay to work with as clients, I  
>>> would never
>>> ever consider them capable of actually helping others. We have to  
>>> really
>>> get clear about this.
>>>           I am afraid that there is a kind of humanistic  
>>> egalitarianism--
>>> in California it used to be called "woo woo," that is post-Hippie
>>> "whatever" "it's all good" blind to the actual range of issues in  
>>> people.
>>> It would be nice to assume that all can be wonderful, but there is
>>> absolutely no evidence that supports this assumption.
>>>
>>>         So back to the problem: I've been in groups, sometimes  
>>> with people
>>> who were in counseling programs, and it was clear to me that they  
>>> were not
>>> only miles from being ready to help others, or even begin to; but  
>>> were
>>> fairly blind to the deficits in their personalities that would be
>>> problematical: Some were painfully inhibited, passive, reticent,  
>>> highly
>>> defended; others were "drama queens," seeking emotional catharses  
>>> and
>>> tending to dominate and exhaust the group. And so forth.  
>>> Experienced group
>>> leaders could make a list of their most trying group members.
>>>
>>>          We must also remember that the desire to graduate, to be  
>>> seen as
>>> being good as the group leader, to be a trainer, is a common  
>>> desire of
>>> people whether or not they have the talent, ability, experience,  
>>> maturity,
>>> or other role requirements for the job. To accede to such desires  
>>> is only
>>> one step away from letting any teenager do brain surgery without  
>>> having to
>>> go to medical school, much less residency.
>>>
>>>              So, yes, trainees who have more than the mildest of  
>>> problems
>>> should indeed have as their primary therapist someone who is out  
>>> of the
>>> stream of their own vocational guidance, someone who can confront  
>>> their
>>> manipulations, and someone to whom they don't have to hide those
>>> manipulations. They also need someone outside the group to whom  
>>> they can
>>> complain about the group leader. (This observation is a variation  
>>> on the
>>> saying, "No man is a hero to his wife's psychotherapist.")
>>>
>>>             So it's not the "rules," that are the problem, but  
>>> the actual
>>> principles that acknowledge the reality that transferential  
>>> problems will
>>> emerge, they are common, and they are made almost impossible to  
>>> address if
>>> the group has any other agenda than the commitment to explore the
>>> interactions themselves, with a view to clearing up blocks and  
>>> blind spots.
>>> A secondary hope to be appreciated, admired, respected, to prove
>>> competence, to gain final approval for vocational advancement, is a
>>> significant dual relationship. Add the financial element: What is  
>>> the group
>>> member paying for, therapy or training? This further muddies the  
>>> water.
>>>
>>>         Well, sorry, but I want to indicate to the group members  
>>> that the
>>> more conservative practitioners aren't just defending their guild  
>>> status,
>>> but trying to address actual complexities in dual  
>>> relationships.      I'm
>>> open to your thoughts. Warmly, Adam Blatner
>>>
>>>
>>>       ----- Original Message -----
>>>       From: BARNETT WEISS
>>>       To: connie at souldrama.com ; list at grouptalkweb.org
>>>       Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 11:52 AM
>>>       Subject: Re: Question
>>>
>>>
>>>       Of course, I am not a TEP so I can only answer from my  
>>> perspective
>>> having trained many persons in the past in some of the work in  
>>> many venues.
>>>  I really don't see what the problem is in welcoming a person  
>>> from one of
>>> your groups into a training program. If there is to be a  
>>> distinction drawn
>>> about this, I am not at all clear as to why there should be.
>>>
>>>       Psychoanalysis to begin with and many other psychotherapeutic
>>> approaches have implicit rules about the relationship of the  
>>> therapist to
>>> the client that exclude such conversions and even those are  
>>> somewhat murky
>>> decisions.  In most of the training programs, you have to go  
>>> through the
>>> therapy yourself to be more completely aware of what your clients  
>>> are going
>>> to be experiencing when you work. So the trainee has to find  
>>> someone else
>>> to do the therapy with them.
>>>
>>>       In the training groups that I have lead, I was doing the  
>>> therapy for
>>> everyone at first and then working with the more advanced students
>>> co-directing the psychodrama's of other members of the group as  
>>> we went
>>> along with greater and greater hands off as they built their  
>>> skills and
>>> confidence. I really don't quite see the distinction here. I also  
>>> made
>>> myself vulnerable at times and became a protagonist briefly  
>>> choosing my
>>> director and working with it.
>>>
>>>       I remember a time at Beacon when Zerka asked me to direct  
>>> her in her
>>> own psychodrama as she needed to get some clarity about some  
>>> things. I was
>>> happy to do so while others in the group were quite fearful and  
>>> actually
>>> reacted very intensely when Zerka was working as it brought up a  
>>> great deal
>>> for them. While dealing with the group became quite a challenge,  
>>> I was
>>> quite confident in working with this protagonist since I knew  
>>> that I had
>>> one of the best co-directors ever...Zerka!!
>>>
>>>       In fact, I see everyone's psychodrama as being co-directed  
>>> by the so
>>> called designated Director and the protagonist themselves. If you  
>>> are not
>>> following the direction of the protagonist, in my estimation, you  
>>> are
>>> moving in the wrong direction. Words similar to those from Zerka are
>>> emblazoned in my memory.
>>>
>>>       So again, I don't get why a client couldn't become a  
>>> trainee at any
>>> time.
>>>
>>>       Blessings, all, Bud
>>>
>>>       Connie Miller <connie at souldrama.com> wrote:
>>>         Dear Adam:
>>>
>>>          Muddy?? This is a swamp!
>>>
>>>         Ultimately it is the decsion of the trainer.  My groups  
>>> are for
>>> "Training in Aciton Methods"  and they also comprise those wanting
>>> psychodrama certification.  This in fact stimulates those in  
>>> training to
>>> want to get certification later in psychodrama.  Otherwise I feel  
>>> like we
>>> will never have those certified to do psychodrama increase and
>>> psychodramatists will then become a special and exclusive group  
>>> and will
>>> die.  Also this is why I agree with you about teaching different  
>>> parts of
>>> psychodrama separately to help spread psychodrama.  And of course  
>>> I would
>>> never allow anyone in the group who was not using the group  
>>> methods in
>>> thier own work but only wanted to use the group for therapy.
>>>
>>>         I however am studying for the written part of the tep  
>>> exam where
>>> it asks under the ethics part,,, what do you do if someone in  
>>> your therapy
>>> group wants to join your training group?  Technically I guess the  
>>> right
>>> anser is not allowing duel relationships but is this what the all  
>>> the
>>> traianers are actually doing?? Right now, I have only met one.   
>>> this is why
>>> I am looking for group feedback.
>>>
>>>         Thanks Connie
>>>
>>>
>>>         -----Original Message-----
>>>         From: Adam Blatner [mailto:adam at blatner.com]
>>>         Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 08:39 AM
>>>         To: list at grouptalkweb.org
>>>         Subject: Re: Question
>>>
>>>
>>>         Dear Peter, Connie, and group.
>>>                Peter, your open-hearted attitude is commendable,  
>>> but I
>>> wonder if you have considered the potential for less-than-worthy
>>> motivations. There are people who want the status of  
>>> professionalism, but
>>> are yet unwilling to take on the full responsibility for self- 
>>> management
>>> that this implies. What I'm referring to is the role of "patient" or
>>> "client," in which the therapist has a more non-judgmental  
>>> attitude of
>>> "I'll try to help you at the level that you are functioning."  
>>> Some of these
>>> levels can be quite immature, entitled, un-self-modulated,  
>>> dependent,
>>> passive-aggressive, and so forth. Many people are not willing to  
>>> live up to
>>> the simplest requirements of being responsible enough to pay  
>>> regularly and
>>> in good faith, to show up regularly and on time, of refusing to  
>>> be civil
>>> under the excuse of victimhood or the right to emotional  
>>> expressiveness,
>>> and so forth.
>>>                To move to a training group is a kind of  
>>> graduation into a
>>> recognition by peers and group leader that one has moved into a full
>>> process of taking charge of one's life. Not all issues are  
>>> resolved--I
>>> quite agree with Peter about this-- but there has been a  
>>> graduation of
>>> sorts that is the equivalent of finishing therapy in the sick or
>>> dysfunctional role.
>>>
>>>              The problem is tricky, and it is a dual role--  
>>> clients wish
>>> for unconditional regard, but this term is misleading. It  
>>> confuses the
>>> archetypal maternal unconditionality--I'll draw you forth however  
>>> you may
>>> be, age 1, age 3, age 8, age 80...
>>>                   and the archetypal paternal conditionality: You  
>>> are
>>> recognized as being qualified to swim, do brain surgery, take 2nd  
>>> level
>>> geometry, only when you have clearly demonstrated your mastery of  
>>> the first
>>> level or other realistic requirements.
>>>
>>>            Alas, the actual requirements for training as a  
>>> counselor have
>>> become hopelessly muddy, and it is quite possible to be excessively
>>> immature and still get into a training program somewhere, and even
>>> graduate. This is because there are significant financial  
>>> incentives to
>>> accept all comers, to keep people in rather than wash them out,  
>>> to blur and
>>> overlook deficiencies. Arguments that the number of training  
>>> programs and
>>> trainers should be limited evokes counter-accusations of being  
>>> elitist and
>>> guild-like.  Arguments that call on the belief in the innate  
>>> goodness of
>>> people confuse the reality of people being a nexus of hundreds of  
>>> roles and
>>> role components, some of which are more talented, and the ways  
>>> strengths
>>> often compensate for, and not infrequently disguise weaknesses. So
>>> significant discrimination is needed.
>>>
>>>             In some universities, this graduation - acceptance  
>>> into a
>>> graduate school - problem of transference, dependence, and  
>>> approval is
>>> circumvented by a general policy that there be a period in which  
>>> graduates
>>> must travel elsewhere and perform for supervisors who have not  
>>> been in the
>>> nurturing role, the object of parental transference.  Perhaps  
>>> later, having
>>> demonstrated clear competence and maturity, they may be re- 
>>> considered for a
>>> position in the upper graduate or even lower faculty level.  It's an
>>> interesting challenge--perhaps one that requires a hard look at  
>>> the limits
>>> of good feeling, tele, etc.
>>>
>>>               I hope I haven't muddied the issues too much.  
>>> Warmly, Adam
>>>           ----- Original Message -----
>>>           From: Peter Howie
>>>           To: connie at souldrama.com ; list at grouptalkweb.org
>>>           Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:49 PM
>>>           Subject: Re: Question
>>>
>>>
>>>           Hi Connie,
>>>
>>>           It is often a natural step. The psychodrama groups are
>>> developmental. The training is developmental. Not all work can be  
>>> done in a
>>> training groups and hence experiential groups are required as  
>>> well for
>>> trainees. Not all development can be done in experiential groups  
>>> and hence
>>> training is available. What does the training do? It expands a  
>>> persons
>>> functioning, their capacity for warming themselves in a spontaneous
>>> fashion, their capacity to role reverse with others and creates  
>>> mental
>>> models for the process of doing so. While I run the groups  
>>> differently the
>>> larger purpose is the same - a more spontaneous world.
>>>
>>>           Cheers
>>>
>>>           Peter Howie
>>>           Brisbane, Australia
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>           At 12:19 PM 24/08/2006, you wrote:
>>>
>>>             I was wondering what other trainers do when  a group  
>>> member
>>> wants to join the psychodrama training group. what are your  
>>> feelings on
>>> them being in both?
>>>             Connie
>>>     Grouptalk mailing list
>>>     List at grouptalkweb.org
>>>     http://grouptalkweb.org/mailman/listinfo/list_grouptalkweb.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>> ----------
>>>
>>>
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Kate Hudgins, Ph.D., TEP

Clinical Psychologist
Director of Training
Therapeutic Spiral International, LLC
ww.therapeuticspiral.org
drkatetsi at mac.com



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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 20:01:27 -0500
From: "Adam Blatner" <adam at blatner.com>
Subject: Re: "Borderline" patients
To: <list at grouptalkweb.org>
Message-ID: <02bd01c6d3ab$7b3706f0$2f01a8c0 at dell>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Kate's point is well taken, and I find it difficult to imagine why this term
needs to be used, as it doesn't really help most people think about their
own condition in a useful way. Other phrases and explanations can be given,
usually tied more to the person's own "self system," Carl Rogers' way of
describing how the patient tries to make meaning out of his or her own
experience. 
      Patti has a point in the word's being sometimes useful as a code word
for difficult client, when talking with other therapists in, say, a
professional support or peer consulting group, but even then it can be a bit
misleading.

       Kate's point about group work doesn't really address what Bud was
alluding to--which is the problem of fairly emotionally brittle, often easy
to offend, often skilfully manipulative people who can be most disruptive in
(note) community building groups, which have a different task than therapy
groups, are often larger, and assume a degree of personal resilience and a
capacity to tolerate a bit more frustration than is available to folks with
this "diagnosis."  
        Certain groups can handle certain levels of encounter. Little
children cannot, middle school kids can hardly, and only with a great deal
of adult mediation, and similarly, we should note that not all seeming
adults can either play tennis or golf or bridge at the same level, nor can
they work in task-groups that involve a higher measure of interpersonal
flexibility and give-and-take. This isn't a matter of legal
non-egalitarianism, but rather just a recognition that there are some tasks
that require greater skill, whether in medicine or mathematics or most
sports. that's why little league isn't big league. 

    At a certain size group, the leader may not be a trained therapist. And
even if relatively skilled in ordinary group work for that task, may not be
skilled to deal with more fragile and disruptive group members. I think it
is fair and realistic for groups to recognize they can't handle some
people's problems--especially if that's not what they're there for. 

      What do you think, Kate, or others?  Warmly, Adam   
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dr Kate Hudgins 
  To: Grouptalk ; tsiyahoo ; dramatherapylst at listserv.ksu.edu 
  Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 5:29 PM
  Subject: Re: "Borderline" patients


  I too find it offensive when someone calls someone borderline like it is a
diagnosis that noone can change.  In fact, the original definition of it
comes from the psychoanalytic stance that the person is walking a line, a
borderline between neurotic and psychotic processes.  Now that we know about
the brain in relation to trauma, it is clear to me they are unconsciously
accesing unprocessed trauma material from the right brain in primary process
form--sensory and emotional information without words while also having
acess to left brain processes trying to understand what is going on. 


  Also, the literature shows that the main acting out of the "borderline
rage" happens do to an abandonment stressor.  That is what the therapist
needs to see when a patient is acting out.  How to work with the abandonment
stressor in the therapeutic relationship that is being projected or is
happening in the real world and destablizing the person.  


  I strongly disagree with not having people struggling with borderline
issues in group.  They, above all else, need the connection of community
support.  Yes, they can be difficult for the group but ONLY IF the therapist
is having countertransference issues that is preventing him or her from
effective intervention and limit setting with love and compassion.  


  Most of our TSM client groups have more than noe or two people who carry
that diagnosis and/or that of DID.  TSM has found the way to work with
people that are struggling this much with unprocessed trauma material being
triggered off in their right brain by containment, strength building and
working with transference, and even more importantly countertransferece
through team meetings througout the weekend. 


  Kate


  On Sep 6, 2006, at 11:34 AM, PATRICIA DESERT wrote:


    Dear Bud--I appreciate your sensitivity to the connotations of
"borderline" 
    and I agree that it inaccurately describes what is going on.    I hold
the 
    view that "borderline" symptomology has all to do with attachment
disorder 
    and that "borderline" is an unfortunate choice of words for this painful

    disorder.  And so in this way I reframe the name of the diagnosis for my

    clients while educating them to the reality that in medical circles 
    "borderline" is still the recognizable word of choice to describe the 
    symptoms.  Even among us professionals though "borderline" is the 
    recognizable word to use when we want to succinctly communicate with
each 
    other.  Perhaps one day the DSM will remove "borderline" and replace it
with 
    a more accurate description.  Certainly attachment disorder is not a new

    concept, particularly in relation to the borderline diagnosis, and
certainly 
    it describes the primary wound.  Patti


      From: BARNETT WEISS <budweiss at verizon.net>
      Reply-To: list at grouptalkweb.org
      To: list at grouptalkweb.org
      Subject: "Borderline" patients
      Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2006 05:33:18 -0700 (PDT)


      I think this is a very important string and hope that we can follow it
up 
      further as persons in this "Category" are some of the most difficult
to 
      work with especially in a group setting as they tend to split the
group.  
      My mentor in doing community building will take them aside privately
and 
      basically advise them not to participate in the community building
sessions 
      as it would not be a good process for them due to their "extraordinary

      sensitivity." He will instead direct them toward a therapist he knows
who 
      has been very successful with moving these persons along.


        While the approach mentioned by Ann, written up in the journal,
makes a 
      lot of sense to me and I will see about looking it up for all the
details,  
      there is still something that bothers me about the label "borderline."
On 
      the border of what comes the logical question and knowing someone who
is 
      showing many of the intense symptoms, it is easy to say on the
borderline 
      of insanity altogether or about to be a victim of another abandonment
or 
      worse.  I think the primary issue is the abandonment issue and that 
      resonates far more with the persons who are called "borderline" in my 
      experience.  Moreover, persons of this nature would probably enter
into 
      therapy more easily if in fact the calling to the group was more along
this 
      lines.


        Another person who is highly successful with persons in this
category is 
      Jeffrey Young with his Schema Therapy http://www.schematherapy.com/
which 
      he created after many years of being one of the primary trainers in 
      Cognitive Therapy. In Young's work, he actually does some psychodrama
as 
      well as using EMDR and even moves into some spiritual work which many 
      "borderline" persons tend to be drawn to. This latter I think is a
coping 
      strategy for them in dealing with the abandonment issues.
        Other's thoughts?
        Blessings, Bud


      Ann Hale <annehale at swva.net> wrote:
                Patti, Stephen Sidorsky presented on, and wrote for the
Journal 
      an excellent article on the Psychodramatic Treatment of Borderline 
      Personality, vol 37, no 3 (Fall, 1984) pp. 117-125.  There has also
been 
      some succcess in treating a group of about six-8 who are entirely 
      borderline. They spend time in group getting to know their diagnosis 
      backwards and forwards, and prt of the sessions is identifying aspects
of 
      it when it is occuring. The therapists (four) work in tandam of twos,
and 
      the facilitators trade off, in sequence.  And, each person sees their
own 
      therapist. It is an interesting approach. The purpose of the group is
to 
      dilute dependency on the primary therapist.
          ----- Original Message -----
        From: PATRICIA DESERT
        To: list at grouptalkweb.org
        Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 2:24 PM
        Subject: Re: client or trainee




          Hello Everyone--Adam hit on an area that deeply resonates for me
at 
      this time--that is, characterological disorders.  I am in the midst of

      working with two clients exhibiting classical symptoms of Borderline 
      Personality Disorder.  It continually manifests in rage at me for not 
      fixing them, for caring more for my other clients, for holding to time

      boundaries of sessions when they are late, for not giving them 2 hr 
      sessions whenever they want them, for long phone message between
sessions 
      criticizing all that I haven't done, for not remembering exactly what
was 
      said last summer, last month, last week, etc., etc.  These criticisms
are 
      relentless.


        I have had 18 years of enormously rewarding work with clients,
mostly 
      Axis I disorders and some with mild to moderate Axis II.  Until this
year, 
      after working with these two for over a year, I have never felt this
sense 
      of frustration, anger, or at times inadequacy.  And for the first time
in 
      my 18 years as a therapist I acted out my anger at one client and told
her 
      with no compassion or empathy that her behavior was both rude and 
      disrespectful to me and to the other client whose session she
attempted to 
      interrupt.


        Obviously my stuff got triggered big time and I recognize that I
need 
      supervision around this and am getting it.  However, I'm curious to
hear 
      from anyone else who has had their own similar responses to these
kinds of 
      clients and some action methods that were helpful, besides the TSM 
      Containing Double and mindful breathing, both which are definitely 
      powerfully helpful at times.   Private practice is sometimes a lonely 
      place, with little peer connection, and hearing from you all about
your 
      experiences is helpful.  Thanks.  Patti


        ----- Original Message -----
          From: Adam Blatner
        To: list at grouptalkweb.org
        Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 2:11 PM
        Subject: client or trainee




        Hello All, Responding to an excellent professional question: Can a
group 
      member join a training group: And responding further to Bud's response

      (attached after this below):


        Bud's attitude is understandable and somewhat compatible with many 
      directors and perhaps even Moreno's generous spirit, but it is also I
think 
      mistaken for the following reasons. Part of this emerged with the 
      difficulties emerging with the encounter group fad of the 1970s:
              There are many people who are clearly mentally ill and just
want 
      to get better, have no aspirations to being a therapists.
             Some people, on the other hand, are vibrantly healthy and 
      self-sufficient, and while they have some mild issues that need to be 
      worked on, they basically have the character to train and be
therapeutic 
      for others, should they be interested in taking on that task.
               A significant number fall between the two, and their problems
are 
      associated more with their interpersonal style. In the APA's
Diagnostic and 
      Statistical Manual, the problems they encounter are noted in the
category 
      called personality disorders, also known as "Axis 2" disorders.
                Many people who have depression, anxiety, and other Axis I 
      diagnoses are also co-morbid, meaning they have more than one
problem--not 
      just their anxiety, but also character or personality tendencies that
set 
      them up for the defeats that then eventuate in depression and/or
anxiety, 
      or other symptoms.  (Another example of co-morbidity is the way people
with 
      mild PTSD--perhaps not fulfilling all the criteria for full
diagnoses-- 
      and/or addiction problems may also come crashing into more clearly
Axis I 
      types of symptom clusters.)
                The second and most important thing that wasn't much
recognized 
      before the mid-1960s is the pervasiveness of varying degrees of Axis
II 
      tendencies, which can be mild, moderate, or severe, and more, the key
here 
      is that these folks don't have primary anxiety--i.e., feeling
ego-alien or 
      uncomfortable with their own symptoms; rather they are ego-syntonic
with 
      their life style, whether it be passive-aggressive,
obsessive-compulsive, 
      hypomanic, hystrionic, borderline, narcissistic, etc. What this means
is 
      that they become upset when people get tired of their behaviors,
abandon 
      them, divorce them, fire them from their jobs, but they don't see what
they 
      did that got people so riled up!  Folks with character problems tend
to 
      deny it, minimize it, and so forth. Now we're getting closer to the
games 
      people play in wanting to become "therapists."
              It doesn't matter if you buy the diagnostic categories I've 
      mentioned--they're just tools, and I'm not all that attached to them
in 
      their specifics. What we're talking about is, in Eric Berne's
Transactional 
      Analysis language, the "games people play."
               I will confess that I have some mild characterological 
      tendencies, and I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't have a bit, so
we're 
      talking about how much, and whether a person is really committed to 
      cleaning up his or her act. Lots of folks don't really get down.


             Perhaps another factor here is whether much significant therapy
can 
      happen in a group--especially a training group. The problem is that
there 
      is a dual relationship: On one hand, there is the deal with my
problems 
      goal; on the other hand, there's a bit of do you respect me as a
therapist, 
      can you? I confess, there are people with patterns of behavior that
are 
      intense enough, and lack of insight deep enough, and a kind of
resistance 
      to really looking just thick enough, or lack of mental agility, so
that 
      while I might find them okay to work with as clients, I would never
ever 
      consider them capable of actually helping others. We have to really
get 
      clear about this.
              I am afraid that there is a kind of humanistic
egalitarianism-- in 
      California it used to be called "woo woo," that is post-Hippie
"whatever" 
      "it's all good" blind to the actual range of issues in people. It
would be 
      nice to assume that all can be wonderful, but there is absolutely no 
      evidence that supports this assumption.


            So back to the problem: I've been in groups, sometimes with
people 
      who were in counseling programs, and it was clear to me that they were
not 
      only miles from being ready to help others, or even begin to; but were

      fairly blind to the deficits in their personalities that would be 
      problematical: Some were painfully inhibited, passive, reticent,
highly 
      defended; others were "drama queens," seeking emotional catharses and 
      tending to dominate and exhaust the group. And so forth. Experienced
group 
      leaders could make a list of their most trying group members.


             We must also remember that the desire to graduate, to be seen
as 
      being good as the group leader, to be a trainer, is a common desire of

      people whether or not they have the talent, ability, experience,
maturity, 
      or other role requirements for the job. To accede to such desires is
only 
      one step away from letting any teenager do brain surgery without
having to 
      go to medical school, much less residency.


                 So, yes, trainees who have more than the mildest of
problems 
      should indeed have as their primary therapist someone who is out of
the 
      stream of their own vocational guidance, someone who can confront
their 
      manipulations, and someone to whom they don't have to hide those 
      manipulations. They also need someone outside the group to whom they
can 
      complain about the group leader. (This observation is a variation on
the 
      saying, "No man is a hero to his wife's psychotherapist.")


                So it's not the "rules," that are the problem, but the
actual 
      principles that acknowledge the reality that transferential problems
will 
      emerge, they are common, and they are made almost impossible to
address if 
      the group has any other agenda than the commitment to explore the 
      interactions themselves, with a view to clearing up blocks and blind
spots. 
      A secondary hope to be appreciated, admired, respected, to prove 
      competence, to gain final approval for vocational advancement, is a 
      significant dual relationship. Add the financial element: What is the
group 
      member paying for, therapy or training? This further muddies the
water.


            Well, sorry, but I want to indicate to the group members that
the 
      more conservative practitioners aren't just defending their guild
status, 
      but trying to address actual complexities in dual relationships.
I'm 
      open to your thoughts. Warmly, Adam Blatner




          ----- Original Message -----
        From: BARNETT WEISS
        To: connie at souldrama.com ; list at grouptalkweb.org
        Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 11:52 AM
        Subject: Re: Question




        Of course, I am not a TEP so I can only answer from my perspective 
      having trained many persons in the past in some of the work in many
venues. 
       I really don't see what the problem is in welcoming a person from one
of 
      your groups into a training program. If there is to be a distinction
drawn 
      about this, I am not at all clear as to why there should be.


        Psychoanalysis to begin with and many other psychotherapeutic
approaches 
      have implicit rules about the relationship of the therapist to the
client 
      that exclude such conversions and even those are somewhat murky
decisions.  
      In most of the training programs, you have to go through the therapy 
      yourself to be more completely aware of what your clients are going to
be 
      experiencing when you work. So the trainee has to find someone else to
do 
      the therapy with them.


        In the training groups that I have lead, I was doing the therapy for

      everyone at first and then working with the more advanced students 
      co-directing the psychodrama's of other members of the group as we
went 
      along with greater and greater hands off as they built their skills
and 
      confidence. I really don't quite see the distinction here. I also made

      myself vulnerable at times and became a protagonist briefly choosing
my 
      director and working with it.


        I remember a time at Beacon when Zerka asked me to direct her in her
own 
      psychodrama as she needed to get some clarity about some things. I was

      happy to do so while others in the group were quite fearful and
actually 
      reacted very intensely when Zerka was working as it brought up a great
deal 
      for them. While dealing with the group became quite a challenge, I was

      quite confident in working with this protagonist since I knew that I
had 
      one of the best co-directors ever...Zerka!!


        In fact, I see everyone's psychodrama as being co-directed by the so

      called designated Director and the protagonist themselves. If you are
not 
      following the direction of the protagonist, in my estimation, you are 
      moving in the wrong direction. Words similar to those from Zerka are 
      emblazoned in my memory.


        So again, I don't get why a client couldn't become a trainee at any 
      time.


        Blessings, all, Bud


      Connie Miller <connie at souldrama.com> wrote:
          Dear Adam:


         Muddy?? This is a swamp!


        Ultimately it is the decsion of the trainer.  My groups are for 
      "Training in Aciton Methods"  and they also comprise those wanting 
      psychodrama certification.  This in fact stimulates those in training
to 
      want to get certification later in psychodrama.  Otherwise I feel like
we 
      will never have those certified to do psychodrama increase and  
      psychodramatists will then become a special and exclusive group and
will 
      die.  Also this is why I agree with you about teaching different parts
of 
      psychodrama separately to help spread psychodrama.  And of course I
would 
      never allow anyone in the group who was not using the group methods in

      thier own work but only wanted to use the group for therapy.


        I however am studying for the written part of the tep exam where it
asks 
      under the ethics part,,, what do you do if someone in your therapy
group 
      wants to join your training group?  Technically I guess the right
anser is 
      not allowing duel relationships but is this what the all the traianers
are 
      actually doing?? Right now, I have only met one.  this is why I am
looking 
      for group feedback.


        Thanks Connie




        -----Original Message-----
      From: Adam Blatner [mailto:adam at blatner.com]
      Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 08:39 AM
      To: list at grouptalkweb.org
      Subject: Re: Question




        Dear Peter, Connie, and group.
               Peter, your open-hearted attitude is commendable, but I
wonder if 
      you have considered the potential for less-than-worthy motivations.
There 
      are people who want the status of professionalism, but are yet
unwilling to 
      take on the full responsibility for self-management that this implies.
What 
      I'm referring to is the role of "patient" or "client," in which the 
      therapist has a more non-judgmental attitude of "I'll try to help you
at 
      the level that you are functioning." Some of these levels can be quite

      immature, entitled, un-self-modulated, dependent, passive-aggressive,
and 
      so forth. Many people are not willing to live up to the simplest 
      requirements of being responsible enough to pay regularly and in good 
      faith, to show up regularly and on time, of refusing to be civil under
the 
      excuse of victimhood or the right to emotional expressiveness, and so 
      forth.
               To move to a training group is a kind of graduation into a 
      recognition by peers and group leader that one has moved into a full 
      process of taking charge of one's life. Not all issues are resolved--I

      quite agree with Peter about this-- but there has been a graduation of

      sorts that is the equivalent of finishing therapy in the sick or 
      dysfunctional role.


             The problem is tricky, and it is a dual role-- clients wish for

      unconditional regard, but this term is misleading. It confuses the 
      archetypal maternal unconditionality--I'll draw you forth however you
may 
      be, age 1, age 3, age 8, age 80...
                  and the archetypal paternal conditionality: You are
recognized 
      as being qualified to swim, do brain surgery, take 2nd level geometry,
only 
      when you have clearly demonstrated your mastery of the first level or
other 
      realistic requirements.


           Alas, the actual requirements for training as a counselor have
become 
      hopelessly muddy, and it is quite possible to be excessively immature
and 
      still get into a training program somewhere, and even graduate. This
is 
      because there are significant financial incentives to accept all
comers, to 
      keep people in rather than wash them out, to blur and overlook 
      deficiencies. Arguments that the number of training programs and
trainers 
      should be limited evokes counter-accusations of being elitist and 
      guild-like.  Arguments that call on the belief in the innate goodness
of 
      people confuse the reality of people being a nexus of hundreds of
roles and 
      role components, some of which are more talented, and the ways
strengths 
      often compensate for, and not infrequently disguise weaknesses. So 
      significant discrimination is needed.


            In some universities, this graduation - acceptance into a
graduate 
      school - problem of transference, dependence, and approval is
circumvented 
      by a general policy that there be a period in which graduates must
travel 
      elsewhere and perform for supervisors who have not been in the
nurturing 
      role, the object of parental transference.  Perhaps later, having 
      demonstrated clear competence and maturity, they may be re-considered
for a 
      position in the upper graduate or even lower faculty level.  It's an 
      interesting challenge--perhaps one that requires a hard look at the
limits 
      of good feeling, tele, etc.


              I hope I haven't muddied the issues too much. Warmly, Adam
          ----- Original Message -----
        From: Peter Howie
        To: connie at souldrama.com ; list at grouptalkweb.org
        Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:49 PM
        Subject: Re: Question




      Hi Connie,


      It is often a natural step. The psychodrama groups are developmental.
The 
      training is developmental. Not all work can be done in a training
groups 
      and hence experiential groups are required as well for trainees. Not
all 
      development can be done in experiential groups and hence training is 
      available. What does the training do? It expands a persons
functioning, 
      their capacity for warming themselves in a spontaneous fashion, their 
      capacity to role reverse with others and creates mental models for the

      process of doing so. While I run the groups differently the larger
purpose 
      is the same - a more spontaneous world.


      Cheers


      Peter Howie
      Brisbane, Australia








      At 12:19 PM 24/08/2006, you wrote:
        I was wondering what other trainers do when  a group member wants to

      join the psychodrama training group. what are your feelings on them
being 
      in both?
      ConnieGrouptalk mailing list
      List at grouptalkweb.org
      http://grouptalkweb.org/mailman/listinfo/list_grouptalkweb.org




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  Kate Hudgins, Ph.D., TEP


  Clinical Psychologist
  Director of Training
  Therapeutic Spiral International, LLC
  ww.therapeuticspiral.org
  drkatetsi at mac.com








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